World Rugby Chair shares Zimbabwe fans’ story that captures RWC spirit

World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson was stopped by a couple of Zimbabwe supporters before flying to Sydney on Tuesday. “Our family and friends are coming from Harare to be here for the World Cup,” one said, as Zimbabwe prepares to play at the tournament for the first time since 1991.

Western Force centurion Ian Prior came out of rugby retirement to help Zimbabwe end their World Cup qualification drought, as they won the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup with a win over Namibia. The Sables start their World Cup campaign against Wales in Adelaide, before facing England and Tonga.

Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 will bring the sport’s global fanbase together across eight venues in seven cities, with the tournament returning to Australia’s shores after more than 24 years. The Wallabies open their home World Cup against newcomers Hong Kong China in Perth on October 1.

Robinson was joined by Wallabies captain Harry Wilson, two-time World Cup winner John Eales, and Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh at the Rugby World Cup match schedule announcement this week, with a picturesque view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House in view.

52 matches will be played at the World Cup, with seven host cities welcoming the rugby world over six weeks in October and November. Stadium Australia in Sydney will host the Final on November 13, as it did when Johnny Wilkinson kicked England to World Cup glory in 2003.

Fans can map out the dates and venues for their team’s World Cup journey, with opening-round matches taking place on October 1 to 4. Presale tickets will be available from 12:00 AEDT on February 18 for registered fans.

“Now we’ve locked in the venues and the teams, we can get ticket sales happening. It really creates so much energy around the world,” Robinson told RugbyPass in Sydney.

“The three things about this World Cup were ultimately about the growth of our sport; bringing 24 teams here from 20 in Paris, a significant step in terms of the reach and the ambition we have as a game globally.

“The second is to put our fans and our players first, so making sure that we’re creating a schedule that’s supportive of both our fans and also our players, and that they’re able to play to their absolute best.

“Finally, the positioning of accessibility, so to enable us to have an affordable World Cup so that families can come along and have a million of our tickets at $100 or less. Adults at $40 and kids at $20, just to enable accessibility because we have games being played between Townsville and Perth.

“We want to take the game to Australia.”

Hong Kong China qualified for their first-ever Men’s Rugby World Cup with a 70-22 win over Korea in July 2025, which saw them crowned the 2025 champions of the Asia Rugby Championship. 20 months out from their first RWC appearance, players and fans have a lot to look forward to.

World Rugby announced on Tuesday morning that the World Cup debutants will take on hosts Australia in the opening match at Perth Stadium. Both the Wallabies and Hong Kong China will play New Zealand’s All Blacks and Chile in a bid to qualify for the Round of 16.

“The rugby community is a very special one,” Robinson said, with the former Wallaby excited about Australia’s opportunity to unite a global rugby fanbase that’s 134 countries wide.

“We just finished the Women’s World Cup in England in September and we had 50 per cent of the attendees of those matches coming to their first women’s game and 30 per cent of those attendees were at their first rugby game,” Robinson explained.

“These events are more than just die-hard rugby people participating; it’s about the community and people connecting into something that’s the third biggest sporting event in the world. It’s iconic. It’s a moment in time.

“It’s a chance for us to showcase the great values of our sport and the community of rugby, so that’s the attraction.

“This is not just about rugby diehards, it’s about those nations that are playing to possibly make a round of 16 for the first time ever; nations that are at their first Rugby World Cup… proudly representing their country and doing their best for their nation.”